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Working Together – Dog Professionals and The Muzzle Movement

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Working Together – Dog Professionals and The Muzzle Movement

por Bev Kirk en abr 11 2025
The Muzzle Movement has a team largely made up of dog professionals from the industry – with over 70 years of combined experience in dog rescue, with experience in grooming, in veterinary practice, training, behaviour, dog walking, boarding kennels and more! We are passionate about ensuring that other dog professionals are supported in their mission to spread awareness and understanding of safe and appropriate muzzle use for various reasons. As individuals, and as a company, we are passionately force-free and advocate for positive reinforcement-based training methods. You can read more about our stance and what this means here Here are some of the ways we can work together – whether you are a vet, nurse or vet tech, trainer or behaviourist, groomer, physio or hydrotherapist, pet sitter or kennel staff, working in rescue…and more! Muzzle Support Packs: Our Muzzle Support Packs have been written for dog professionals to share with clients who may need some information and advice around muzzling their dogs. It contains information about all kinds of muzzles (not just our own!) plus the importance of good fit, measuring for a muzzle, plus top tips and useful links to our website articles. You can download these free of charge from our website to print yourselves to give to clients, use them to make a display or email the PDF copy to clients. We also sell bundles of professionally printed support packs. See our Muzzle Support Packs here:    Affiliate Programme: Our affiliate programme is open to all force-free / R+ based pet professionals who are recommending our muzzles to their clients and customers. It works by providing you with a personalised code that you can pass on to your clients when they order based on your recommendations. This code gives your client a 10% discount and gives you 10% store credit. This means that businesses don’t have to invest more funds into adding our latest sizes to their collection or building up their current stock but can use the commission credit they have earned! The more you support your clients with appropriate muzzle fit and guidance, the more free muzzles and accessories you can acquire. You will also find a useful media assets area in the affiliate dashboard – with social media content, downloadable posters and leaflets as well as an incredible gallery of 70 stock images showing dogs in well-fit muzzles – completely FREE! This scheme is only open to businesses with a commitment to kind, ethical training. We check each of our affiliate applications to ensure that we have the same shared passion. Find out more about the affiliate programme here:    Canine Professional Bundles: Our Canine Professional Bundle is the perfect pack for vets, trainers and dog professionals to get their hands on one muzzle of each size, ideal for helping your clients to find the right fit for their dog, or for using as a way of introducing or demonstrating muzzle training. This bundle allows you to swap and change nose bands and fastenings so you can alter the fit for each of your clients dogs. (Please note: as our size range expands, we will break down the bundles into smaller sets of 4-5 sizes). All muzzles have Chicago Screw upgrades so you can easily swap the nosebands/fastening as required. You can also purchase alternative strapping sets and muzzle accessories separately, but we do have bundles on these too. These packs come with Black Biothane strapping only and all nickel hardware, with a choice of full sets in Khaki Green or Teal – or our gorgeous multi-coloured bundles! There are also mini bundles available for professionals who don’t need a full range of sizes. Anyone who purchases a Canine Professional Bundle will get 20% off discount codes for future size releases so you can keep your collection up to date! See our Canine Professional Bundles here   Muzzle Fitting Course: Once you have been approved as an affiliate and have purchased a Canine Professional Bundle or have a built up a full range of our sizes, you are eligible to complete our Muzzle Fitting for Professionals short course for free! This is an online, self-paced, short course on how to recognise a well-fitting muzzle, common problems when fitting muzzles, what all of accessories and additional straps do, and tips for holding your own muzzle fittings. Many of our affiliates and customers who have purchased the Pro Bundle now offer muzzle fitting services to their clients or dog guardians in their local community – all over the world! Some offer this as a free service, but most charge for their time and expertise. Once they have found the right size for the dog, they can then give their customer the use of their 10% discount code which also earns then 10% commission in store credit from us. The benefits of offering muzzle fitting services include: Earning an income from fittings as well as promoting your discount code, building up your store credit commission! Supporting clients and the local community with muzzle education and promoting suitable muzzle fit. Clients may seek you out for further help and advice with muzzles, possibly furthering your income. We have customers contacting us daily, from all around the world, asking for this service so we know the need is there! We have now also launched our trade accounts – meaning pet shops and organisations who have a range of our muzzles are invited to complete the Muzzle Fitting for Professionals Course and can offer fittings! Muzzle Fitters Map To support our fitters even further, we have a Muzzle Fitters and Stockist Map on our website! In order to be listed on the map you must fulfil either of the following criteria: Be approved as an affiliate Own a Professional Bundle or a full range of our sizes Have completed the Muzzle Fitting for Professionals Course Be ready to offer a muzzle fitting service to clients OR Be approved as a stockist Have made your first order and have a complete range of our muzzles (at least one of each size for fittings) Have completed the Muzzle Fitting for Professionals Course If you fit the criteria, drop us and email and we can get you verified and on the map! This gives you and your business huge exposure to our audience and allows people looking to get their dog fitted in one of our muzzles, to find you!           Locations marked with a green pin are fittings run by independent dog professionals who are an affiliate of The Muzzle Movement and have a selection of our muzzles for customers to try on. Locations marked with a purple pin are stockists of our muzzles, who can offer a fitting service too. Locations marked with a pink pin are just stockists of our muzzles. *Please note!* You will be in charge of arranging your own fitting appointments, you can choose if to charge or not and will be solely responsible for the fitting service you provide. Please ensure that if you are not a stockist of The Muzzle Movement, your clients will NOT be able to purchase the muzzle on the day from you - they will only be able to try on the muzzles for you to advise which one may be a good fit for your dog. The customer will then have to order their own muzzle from our website. Check out the map here!   Affiliate Testimonal Read More   Trade Accounts: We are proud to have now launched our trade accounts so you can now apply to become a stockist of The Muzzle Movement! With no minimum (or maximum!) order quantities, we can cater to all sized businesses, anywhere is the world! There are varying tiers, where the more items are ordered, the larger the discount. We have also opened out highest tier of discounts to registered rescues, to ensure that we are able to support rescue and rehoming organisations with our best possible prices. We are committed to only supporting other kind and ethical businesses with a passion for force-free training. Therefore, we will not be working alongside businesses that sell or promote aversive tools such as shock collars, prong collars, choke chains, citronella collars, pet corrector or similar. All businesses will be vetted before we work together and if any aversive practices are promoted, our agreement would be immediately terminated. Therefore, to avoid disappointment, please do not apply if you plan to sell the items listed above at any point now, or in the future. To sign up for a trade account, click here! We are really proud of the various ways we can work with and support amazing professionals out there who are doing incredible things for muzzled dogs, their guardians and their communities. If you have any questions, any ideas of how we can further support you, or want more information on any of this – please get in touch! Email us: support@themuzzlemovement.com  
The Muzzle Evolution

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The Muzzle Evolution

por Bev Kirk en ene 02 2025
We currently have 10 sizes in our range, as well as 2 designs in the prototype stage.  Our first muzzles launched after our Kickstarter, these were sizes Tolly, Neli and Sunny, followed by the size Rex a few months later.  Size Tolly Size Neli Size Sunny Size Rex Whilst we are still incredibly proud of our original sizes, seeing the muzzles on thousands of dogs meant that we have learned things along the way and found improvements we can make to ensure future muzzles are even better. No one has designed or manufactured muzzles like this before, so the entire process has been a learning curve, for everyone involved.  Our next size to launch was the eagerly anticipated size Harry. This was a completely different shape to the muzzles we have made before, as it is short and wide, aimed at Bully type dogs. We worked really hard ensuring that that edges were much rounder on this muzzle (which sounds easy but, in the injection-moulding world – not so much!) and was therefore softer on the dog.  Size Harry One of our customers also reached out to us to tell us that she had turned a head strap into a chin strap on her dog’s Harry muzzle, to help keep it stable as he was at the lower end of the recommended measurements for Harry. We loved the idea and made chin straps an addition to our additional strapping collection. (Thank you so much Aimee!)  We also introduced a new padded noseband add-on. Biothane is generally quite soft on dogs but some dogs who perhaps have less fur on the nose or are more sensitive, needed something more to ensure the muzzle wasn’t rubbing. The padded noseband had a squishy layer of foam on the inside to make it even more comfortable!    Next, size Taz launches which again has the softer edges to make it a smoother muzzle. We also increased the pant space even more to make sure dogs with a long jaw could pant freely. We learned from our previous designs that the top profile of the muzzle could obstruct the vision for some face shapes, so we really flattened the top in front of the eyes to limit this a much as possible. We also redesigned the way the head strap attaches, so that instead of the strap folding around the basket and creating a bump that could potentially rub some sensitive dogs, the strap now screws directly onto the basket so the noseband can lay nice and flat on the dogs’ face.  Size Taz Our next release wasn’t actually a muzzle but was another new add-on for our existing muzzles! Whilst we love the treat hole that we designed in the front of our muzzles, we recognised that it wasn’t ideal for dogs who scavenge! So, we designed a patent-pending scavenger guard which easily clips onto the front of the muzzle to cover the treat hole and front panel.   We have 3 different scavenger guard styles now!  Long Scavenger Guard Standard Scavenger Guard Extra Secure Scavenger Guard   After changing manufacturer and designer, we were able to really fine tune our design process and create a muzzle which we felt was our best yet. Size Mitzy The Mitzy was the next muzzle to launch, and it took a long time to perfect. Its development brought a number of hurdles and manufacturing challenges, but our commitment to creating a muzzle that prioritises comfort for the dog made every step worthwhile. The Mitzy introduced several key design improvements, including softer edges, increased pant space, a flatter top profile, and our updated head strap design. It also features carefully considered shaping under the neck alongside the additional pant space, helping to reduce the muzzle bumping against a dog’s neck as much as possible while maintaining comfort and freedom of movement. As our biggest muzzle to date, the Mitzy represented a major step forward in both design and manufacturing, and in 2025 it was recognised with the Pet Industry Federation Innovation Award, a proud milestone in our journey to keep improving muzzle welfare and comfort for dogs.   Size Harry 2.0 Next came the re-evaluation of our Size Harry muzzle. Due to changes in manufacturing and tooling complications, we saw an opportunity to take everything we had learned from designing our other muzzles and apply it to one of our most popular sizes. The result was the Harry 2.0, a carefully refined evolution of the original design that maintained the same trusted internal width measurements while significantly improving comfort, fit, and overall user experience. The Harry 2.0 introduced a number of thoughtful refinements, including improved chin space beneath the treat hole to better accommodate slightly undershot jaws, slimmer and lighter bars to reduce overall weight without compromising strength, and smoother cheek-contact edges for enhanced comfort. Every internal edge was fully polished to minimise friction, while the removal of the inward “tick” on the inner cheek top corner created wider cheek room and a more comfortable fit. We also redesigned the corners near the neck to allow easier head movement, reduced the bulk of the internal bars for a sleeker feel, and updated the head strap fastening to prevent downward pressure on the noseband. Despite all of these improvements, the internal width measurements remained unchanged, ensuring the same reliable fit dogs were already accustomed to. The Harry 2.0 quickly became a standout product within our range, and in 2025 it was recognised with the PetQuip Product of the Year Award, another proud milestone in our mission to continually improve muzzle comfort, functionality, and welfare. Size Pippa We didn’t stop there. As our range continued to grow, we recognised a gap in the market for a smaller short-and-wide fit muzzle — something designed specifically for dogs with shorter snouts and broader facial structures who often struggle to find a comfortable, welfare-focused fit. By listening closely to our community and learning from every muzzle we had developed before, we set out to create the Size Pippa. Pippa became the smallest muzzle in our Short & Wide Fit collection and the shortest basket in our range, while still maintaining safe and functional panting, drinking, and treat space. Designed by a team of animal behaviourists, every detail was carefully considered to ensure comfort, practicality, and welfare remained at the forefront. The muzzle features carefully contoured shaping beneath the treat hole to better accommodate slightly undershot jaws, helping provide comfort even for dogs with unique facial structures. Smooth internal and cheek-contact edges help minimise rubbing and pressure points, while thinner internal bars create a lighter, sleeker feel without compromising durability or stability. Pippa also introduced our vision-friendly flat head strap fastening, designed to reduce visual obstruction and better support a dog’s spatial awareness. As with all of our basket muzzles, it was created with ethical muzzle use in mind, ensuring dogs can pant, drink, and comfortably receive treats when fitted correctly. The launch was incredibly well received, with pre-orders shipping on time and marking another exciting milestone in The Muzzle Movement’s journey of innovation and welfare-led design.   Size Mia & Size Jimmy Small Size Dog Muzzle Then came our small sizes — Size Mia and Size Jimmy. Their development marked another important milestone for The Muzzle Movement, because for far too long small dogs have been overlooked when it comes to muzzle design, education, and welfare. As we explored the needs of smaller breeds more deeply, it became increasingly clear that small dogs deserve the same consideration, safety, and properly fitted equipment as larger dogs. Small dogs are often unfairly dismissed when it comes to behavioural support, despite research showing they can experience fear, anxiety, and defensive behaviours just as much, if not more, than larger breeds. Unfortunately, the market has historically offered very limited options for smaller dogs, especially those with unique head shapes or shorter snouts.  That’s why we worked hard to develop Size Mia and Size Jimmy: muzzles specifically created for smaller dogs, with welfare, comfort, and functionality at the centre of the design process. Rather than simply scaling down larger muzzles, these sizes were carefully engineered to suit the unique anatomy and behavioural needs of smaller breeds. Like the rest of our range, Mia and Jimmy are designed to allow dogs to pant, drink, and take treats comfortably when fitted correctly. They feature lightweight basket designs, smooth internal edges, and our welfare-focused shaping to support safer, more positive experiences for dogs and their guardians alike. The launch of Mia and Jimmy represents something much bigger than simply adding smaller sizes to our range. It reflects our ongoing mission to challenge outdated perceptions around muzzles and advocate for all dogs, regardless of size. Because small dogs need safe, comfortable, and ethical muzzle options too. Read More   Size Mia (Pre-Order, shipping in September 2026) Size Jimmy (Pre-Order, shipping in March 2027) So what’s next in our Muzzle Evolution?  We have learned SO much from our first ever design to our most recent ones. We have some incredibly talented designers and manufacturers on board, and we have honed our own skills in recognising what is needed to improve on what we have already done.  We understand fit better, we know more about the confirmation of a dog’s face, we know what works and what doesn’t in terms of muzzle shape and positioning, we recognise what our customers want and need and most importantly we have taken feedback on board to make lives better for muzzled dogs.  We currently have a further two new muzzle sizes in the design process that we are working hard to bring to launch in the near future. If you would like to register your interest and be the first to hear updates about upcoming sizes and launches, click here to sign up. We are always continuing to develop, refine, and expand our range, so if we do not currently have the right size for your dog, please stay in touch and subscribe to our newsletter to hear about future developments.      Thank you so much for following our journey and supporting The Muzzle Movement.   Size Patrick Size Galaxy Some are ready to go, but it costs us around £40k to manufacture the tools for just ONE size, hence why it takes us some time to build up the funds needed to reinvest.  We are unbelievably excited and incredibly proud of our future designs – one in particular has been a long process and we believe we have created a muzzle that no-one has been able to achieve before. It is beautifully shaped to ensure that special dogs wearing them are as comfortable as possible, it has been thoroughly tested on several dogs and we have designed entirely new strapping for it. It has been a labour of love to create a muzzle that is much-needed worldwide so we are very excited for its release – hopefully in 2026/7!  The tooling for each of our sizes has a lifespan too, so when each tool can no longer be used for current designs, we will tweak and alter them to create improved versions of each size. We are all passionate perfectionists with dog welfare at the front of our minds, so we keep learning and we will ALWAYS keep doing better. For the dogs. 
Our Journey so far

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Our Journey so far

por Bev Kirk en ene 01 2025
We cannot believe the rollercoaster that The Muzzle Movement has been on and we are so proud of EVERYTHING we have achieved so far November 2019  Clara adopts Tolly    Tolly is the reason The Muzzle Movement exists, my love for him and my frustration with peoples response to his muzzle lead me to quit my senior position in the UKs largest rescue.. and spend all of my time advocating for muzzled dogs and their guardians. Wild right! So what makes this pointer cross so special? I adopted Tolly from my place of work at the time - Dogs Trust, he was 7 years old and his life up to the day he came home with me included being exposed to domestic abuse. As a consequence, he would use aggressive behaviour when approached by unfamiliar people. Particularly men, in black jackets to be precise! Tolly also would use aggressive behaviour when approached by unfamiliar dogs, despite living happily with my other two pre-existing dogs. As you can imagine, this made him somewhat of a liability when out of the house! He had also bitten a member of the public. For the first time in my life, I was on the receiving end of the muzzle stigma! And my eyes were wide open! I realised that in order to change the public perception of muzzled dogs, I would need to create a muzzle that didn't just look nice but it met the needs of the dogs wearing them. I knew the arguments against muzzles now, 'they're cruel' 'you wouldn't tape a childs mouth shut' and those people weren't always wrong! We do have a responsibility to make sure that the muzzles our dogs are wearing, are ethical. That dogs can pant comfortably, drink easily and be reinforced freely! But are there actually muzzles out there that can both appear to be less scary AND be comfortable and ethical? Well.. the answer was not really! So, me and Tolly set off on a mission! First stop, Change the publics perception of muzzled dogs. Easy right? READ MORE   September 2021 Following her own experience, Clara sets up The Muzzle Movement Instagram page, to be a safe space for muzzled dog guardians, to share information, advice and muzzle advocacy. @the.muzzle.movement   October 2021 Clara realises that the kind of muzzle she was looking for, for Tolly, didn’t exist.  She begins to design what she is looking for and has it 3D printed for Tolly. The followers of The Muzzle Movement show interest in being able to buy something similar so the idea of creating a new muzzle properly develops! Clara also designs some advocacy apparel and stickers. November 2021 The first Muzzle Movement prototypes are unveiled on Instagram and earn an excited and positive reception! December 2021 The plan to launch The Muzzle Movement muzzles and accessories via Kickstarter begins. There is a long journey of planning and preparing ahead! January 2022 The Muzzle Movement Biothane Accessories are revealed, including collars, leads, long lines, safety straps and grab handles. 14th April 2022 The Kickstarter launches for sizes Sunny, Tolly & Neli.   15thApril 2022 Tragically, Tolly has to be put to sleep the day after the Kickstarter launch, due to an inoperable tumour in his spine. Clara is understandably devastated but resolves to continue this journey and make The Muzzle Movement Tolly’s legacy. 14th May 2022 The Kickstarter ends, having raised an incredible £46,101. 1008 muzzles are sold, with 117 customers choosing to add matching gear plus 246 stickers sold! June 2022 Clara has poured her heart and soul into The Muzzle Movement, balancing her full-time job while making an incredible 1,008 muzzles and fulfilling the Kickstarter orders—all from the humble beginnings of her spare room. Partner George was by her side every step of the way, lending his hands and energy to ensure every order was crafted and shipped with care. Together, Clara and George worked tirelessly, often clocking 70–80 hours a week to meet the overwhelming demand. The sheer volume of orders that came flooding in was both exhilarating and humbling, showing just how much the community believed in their mission. This dedication, passion, and relentless drive is what turned their vision into a reality, ensuring that every muzzle made it into the hands of dog guardians around the world. It’s a testament to the belief that with hard work, commitment, and a little teamwork, even the biggest challenges can be overcome. July 2022 Pre-orders, outside of Kickstarter, open to the general public. Annie joins part time helping to write a muzzle training guide and doing customer support.   January 2023 In the first 6 months of pre-orders 429 muzzles are ordered! A standard hole punch arrives meaning that straps are no longer punched a single hole at a time!  Size Rex launches as pre-order. April 2023 Bex joins the team helping to build muzzles and answer customer queries. Clara quits her job and becomes The Muzzle Movement CEO full time! We finally outgrow the spare room and move to our own unit! Size Taz & Size Harry is in the early stages of design as Clara recognised there was no muzzle off-the-shelf which is suitable for bull breeds. August 2023 Our beautiful new website launches and our order process streamlines!  Size Taz & Harry launches for pre-order. Becky joins part time helping with customer service and muzzle making September 2023 Bex becomes the first full time employee! Size Rex arrives and all of the pre-orders are hand assembled and shipped. We launch our first ever Limited Edition Halloween Collection with UV printed Biothane. Our brand new Affiliates scheme launches for force-free professionals. Ashley signed up to our affiliate scheme in September 2023. In her first 6 months of being an affiliate, Ashley has referred a whopping 89 orders & has earned almost £800 store credit in commission!   October 2023 We launch our Canine Professional Bundles, with each of our sizes and additional nosebands. These are aimed at trainers, rescues, vets etc. November 2023 After the success of our Halloween collection, we released a Limited Ed Christmas Collection. We also held our first ever fitting day, aimed at XL Bullies to try on our prototypes and help with the design process. Size Mitzy is designed. Rowan joins the team part time helping to build muzzles.   We had a fantastic time at the Hope Rescue event, reconnecting with many old friends and welcoming new ones into The Muzzle Movement community. It was heartwarming to see so many familiar faces and to assist new members with their muzzle fitting appointments, ensuring their dogs have the perfect fit for safety and comfort. Our brand-new stand with updated POS materials was a hit, and our photo booth provided a fun way for attendees to capture memories of the day. During our visit, we also had the opportunity to test the very first small dog prototypes on some incredibly sweet dogs who made wonderful models for the afternoon. Overall, the event was a great success, filled with support, engagement, and a shared love for our muzzled dogs. December 2023 Becky quits her job and joins the team full time as a Design and Development officer! Tabby joins us part-time to help with painting and manufacturing. We travel to Banbury to attend a muzzle fitting day organised by Sophie White, Veterinary Behaviourist. At the end of the month, size Harry arrives and we manage to ship an incredible 777 orders shipped, as well as receiving 910 orders. Size Mitzy continues to be developed.   December was a whirlwind of dedication and determination for Clara, George, and the entire team at The Muzzle Movement. It was a month defined by incredible milestones and non-stop hard work. As the month unfolded, we were thrilled to welcome the arrival of Size Harry, a long-anticipated addition to our muzzle range. This was a pivotal moment for us, and it sparked an overwhelming response from our community. By the end of December, we had achieved something truly remarkable: an incredible 777 orders shipped! Alongside this, we received a staggering 910 new orders—an amazing show of support and trust from our customers. These numbers reflect not just the demand but the belief in our mission to provide dogs with muzzles that prioritize comfort and safety.   In the midst of this, Size Mitzy continued its development journey, with improvements and refinements being made to ensure it meets the high standards we strive for in every product. The XL Bully ban also brought urgency and responsibility, as many dog guardians looked to us for reliable solutions. We worked around the clock—literally all hours of the day and night—to ensure we could meet the surge in demand and get muzzles out to those who needed them most.   December wasn't just about meeting orders; it was about stepping up for our community during a critical time. Every package shipped and every muzzle crafted carried with it our dedication to dogs and their guardians, making it a month we’ll never forget.     January 2024 Annie quits her own business and joins the team full time as Community Education and Engagement Officer. Size Taz is in full production.  We get our very own 3D printer to help us with our design process! February 2024 Clara’s partner George leaves his career as a Chef and joins the team full time! Rowan leaves her own business and takes up her role full time too!   March 2024 The Muzzle Movement team attend our FIRST EVER event and we jump in the deep end with – CRUFTS! We have the most incredible week and reach hundreds of guardians! We are so proud to be the first EVER stand dedicated to muzzle positivity in Crufts history! April 2024 We move to our larger unit and Meg J joins the team full time as a Customisation Officer.   We feature some muzzle articles in Dogs Today magazine for the next four months and we have our first professional photoshoot with some amazing dogs and guardians.   May 2024 We attend the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes Conference, as well as our first DogFest at Ragley Hall. Clara works on designing our new scavenger guards. (Patent-Pending) We launch a new muzzle fitters map on our website, showing force-free professionals who have our range of muzzles and offer fittings for the public.   June 2024 We have a really busy couple of months with just a week between several events! We attend BVA Live where Clara is invited to speak about muzzle use in Veterinary settings and we also exhibit at DogFest Tatton Park. We launch our new padded nosebands. July 2024 Our patent-pending scavenger guards launch for pre-order!   Bev joins our team as Marketing Executive! August 2024 Another busy events months sees up visiting Wales to attend the Hope Rescue Open Day before we head off up to Scotland to do a tour of some SSPCA centres!   Here we are able to discuss muzzling and muzzle fit with the staff, as well as fit 34 individual dogs for their own muzzles! Before heading home, we drive across to the North East Dog Festival where Clara presents a talk on muzzled dogs. We also launch some gorgeous new Biothane colours.   September 2024 Our last DogFest of the year is at Knebworth House. We launch our 2nd Halloween collection and we take delivery of the most exciting machine EVER!   Our custom designed, automated strap cutting machine was hand built for us and our needs! The first batch of Size Mitzy arrives and we ship 450 of the earliest pre-orders in just 4 days. We join the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter as a supporting company, as well as becoming Corporate Ambassadors of Pet Professional Guild. October 2024 Robyn joins our team full time to work on customer service and customisation. Clara attends the PetQuip awards and wins not one, but two prestigious awards! Clara wins Rising Star and The Muzzle Movement wins the Most Promising New Business Awards. We have an exciting visitor in Dr Scott, the Rescue Vet, to the unit to learn all about muzzles, what we do and how muzzles help in rescue.   We have a special day to test our top-secret size Galaxy prototypes – a design we have been working on for months to get it just right and to fill a huge gap in the market. We also sponsor and attend the Pet Professional Guild Summit.   November 2024 We hold a special fitting day for Staffy types to try on our new size Pippa/Patrick prototypes. We sponsor and attend the Animal Behaviour Kent ‘When Dogs Bite Conference’ and our 2nd Christmas collection launches.   Clara attends the Pet Industry Federation and wins the New Business of the Year Award.  We hold our first ever Black Friday sale and beat our own record by shipping 178 muzzles in one day! December 2024 We ship our 2nd batch of Mitzy pre-orders and launch a selection of colours of size Mitzy as in stock on the website This is the largest ‘off-the-shelf’ muzzle available to purchase in the world!     Unsung Heroes 2024 & Philippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award We attended the Unsung Heroes 2024 & Philippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award at the Houses of Parliament. It’s humbling to be recognised alongside so many dedicated individuals who strive every day to make a positive impact on dogs lives. As for the evening itself, it was filled with incredible speakers. Many congratulations to Dr Dan O’Neil, who was awarded the Philippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award for his outstanding work in this sector. It was a truly amazing event, brilliantly hosted by Dr Marc Abraham OBE.   We are chuffed to announce our new corporate partnership with The Pet Professional Guild (PPG). By joining forces with the PPG, whose ethics and professional standards so closely mirror our own, we’re strengthening our dedication to championing positive, cruelty free practices within the dog industry.   In the past year, we’ve: 🐾 Fitted over 100 XL Bullies in person, ensuring the perfect fit. 🐾 Shipped thousands of muzzles across the UK and worldwide, helping countless dogs live more comfortably. 🐾 Worked with guardians facing tight deadlines to get their dogs muzzle ready in time for the ban. One unexpected positive? The bright, colourful designs of our muzzles have helped shift public perception. Muzzled dogs aren’t scary… they’re loved, cared for, and have guardians willing to fight for them. Every single dog we’ve met this year has been sweet and loving, breaking the stereotypes perpetuated by the media. Guardians have gone to incredible lengths… travelling miles, navigating judgement, and doing whatever it takes to ensure their dogs are happy and safe. To all the guardians out there: You are not alone, and we’ll continue to support you every step of the way.   ALL OF THAT in such a short frame of time! We cannot believe the rollercoaster that The Muzzle Movement has been on and we are so proud of EVERYTHING we have achieved so far…but we are just getting started! We have big plans for 2025 including: Fulfilling all Mitzy pre-orders and fully stocking all colours on the website! Attending our second Crufts in March, plus several more events Finalising the designs and launching sizes Galaxy, Mia, Pippa, Patrick & Jimmy! Releasing a comprehensive online muzzle training course Launching our hugely anticipated wholesale option plus rescue discounts!    
Meet the Team

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Meet the Team

por Bev Kirk en dic 17 2024
  Meet the team who are supporting you. We're a small team of dog lovers, committed to changing the stigma associated with muzzled dogs and their guardians, one muzzle at a time!  Clara has worked with dogs all of her adult life and is dedicated to being force free in every aspect of life. At age 17 she owned her own dog grooming business alongside working in a boarding kennels, before working for Dogs Trust where she was promoted into a variety of different positions, such as: - Rehabilitation trainer where she was directly responsible for the practical implementation of training and behaviour modification plans and ensuring optimal welfare of the dogs in the centre. Muzzle training was a frequent part of risk mitigation, for a wide variety of dogs. -Training and Behaviour Advisor overseeing the specialist rehabilitation unit, where some of the most challenging dogs in Dogs Trust would come for specialist training and behaviour support. Responsible for creating bespoke training and behaviour modification plans for a wide variety of challenging behaviours, including dogs with a significant bite history.  - Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor for the South east, where Clara was responsible for overseeing the most challenging dogs in the 7 South East centres, supporting the centre based training teams with training and behaviour modification plans, with a focus on risk mitigation. Including dogs that have been involved in court cases or cased significant injuries. Clara also has a BSC in Animal Behaviour from Liverpool John Moores University and MSC in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln. Alongside both her practical and academic experience, Clara has been the guardian of a Muzzled dog, with a bite history. You can read more about Clara and Tollys story under our 'About the movement' tab.    Clara & Tollys mission is to provide all dogs with good looking muzzles, that meet the needs of the dogs wearing them, and a brand with a strong message. More than just a product, a company that wanted to shake up this outdated market and breathe new life into the muzzle space!   Becky started at The Muzzle Movement in December 2023 as our Design and Development officer. She works on a huge variety of tasks - everything from muzzle manufacturing and customer support to designing our events stand! She is always on hand to help with sizing on fitting days as well as helping with the design of future sizes and growing the business. She also vast knowledge and experience hands on training with rescue dogs so also supports Annie with education projects. Becky has worked in rescue for around 10 years. She has previously been a kennel manager at a rescue centre before joining the largest national dog rehoming organisation, where she worked in the training and behaviour team, rehabilitating dogs with severe behavioural issues. Becky has a rescued Akita called Marvel and two rescue Guinea Pigs called Pumpkin & Boo.   Annie has helped out at The Muzzle Movement right from the Kickstarter! She joined the team part time in early 2023 before coming full time as our Community Education and Engagement Officer in January 2024. She works on building relationships and offering support to the public, canine professionals and charitable organisations. She writes informative, educational blog posts and guides for muzzled dog guardians, organises our fitting days and events, as well as working behind the scenes on our education projects.  Annie has also worked with dogs and in rescue for over a decade. She previously ran her own boarding kennels whilst also volunteering with rescue dogs in the UK and abroad as well as fostering over 20 dogs. She then spent 5 years working at a national dog welfare organisation - 3 of those years as a rehabilitation trainer, before spending 2 years self-employed offering training and behaviour consultations after having her daughter. Annie is a member of APDT (01566), IMDT and the ABTC. Annie has a Chihuahua called Flora, and an American Cocker Spaniel called Nelly – who is muzzled for walks. Annie's dad also deserves an honourable mention as he is always on hand to help - as well as building our specially designed machinery and our events stand! Whilst George doesn't have a background working with dogs, being Clara's partner means he has inevitably been surrounded by dogs for several years! He has been a huge part of TMM behind the scenes since the very start - helping Clara to make muzzles when they were still based in their spare bedroom! George joined the team full time in February 2024 and is our Manufacturing Manager and lead cheer leader for the whole team! His background as a very accomplished chef means he is meticulous about keeping the unit tidy, well stocked and running like a well-oiled machine! He brings the positive vibes to our team, and the muscle to the piece punching! George often joins us at events and fitting days where he loves to engage with customers and he will always be the first person to snuggle some dogs (plus he will keep the team super well-fed at our accommodation)! George shares three gorgeous dogs with Clara - Atlas the bully mix, Pig the Cavalier x Westie and his beloved Neli, a Bulgarian rescue dog.   Bex has been working for The Muzzle Movement since April 2023 and became a full time member of staff in September 2023. Bex started working with dogs as a kennel assistant in rescue kennels in 2017 where she was responsible for implementing training plans, improving the welfare of dogs living at the centre and giving them the tools to thrive in their new homes. She now also works at a college as an animal technician, where she cares for 30+ species and teaches students about canine behaviour and care.  Bex has two rescue dogs, one of which will bark, lunge and snap at unfamiliar people with a bite history, he wears a muzzle for nail trims and veterinary handling. Her other is extremely sociable but still wears a muzzle in the garden occasionally because he will eat rotten fruit that's fallen from surrounding trees. Bex predominantly helps to assemble muzzles, she is responsible for tracking and updating stock but she also does help with customer support and product testing.   Rowan was an original kickstarter backer for her beloved Labrador Alan! She has been working for The Muzzle Movement since December 2023 and became a full time member of staff in February 2024. Rowan is the queen of muzzle assembly and holds the current record of making 90 muzzles in a single day! You will often see Rowan at events and she is as passionate about making beautiful muzzles and the message of TMM. Rowan has run a successful dog walking business since 2018, meaning she has tonnes of hands-on experience with a huge variety of dogs. She is also currently studying her MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour. Rowan has a mixed breed called Loki who has the fanciest ears in the world!   Meg J joined us in April 2024 and is head of customisation here at TMM - this is a fun and varied role! Meg makes all of your beautiful collars, leads and long lines, as well as accessories such as grab handles and safety straps. She supports the manufacturing team by focusing on the 'non-muzzle' ranges, so she will also organise the production of your awesome jumpers and tee-shirts and is a whizz on the Cricut! As well as all that, she supports Becky with preparing for events and making all the gorgeous stock you can buy from us in person. Meg has worked in rescue for over 9 years. She has previously worked at the RSPCA where she gained an NVQ in Animal Care and Welfare. She then joined the largest dog organisation in the UK, working her way up from Canine Carer, Rehabilitation Trainer where she worked in the specialist rehabilitation unit, up to Assistant Training and Behaviour Advisor. Meg also has a Level 3 Diploma in Canine Behaviour and Welfare. Meg lives with her husband Ben, (who is also an honorary team member as our official TMM electrician!) and their beautiful rescue American Akita, Inca.     Tabby is responsible for making all of the separate parts and pieces that make your muzzles! We punch and paint the ends of all of biothane strapping in house, which tends to keep the both of them very busy!  They also help with all aspects of fulfillment, your muzzles wouldn't get to you without them. And finally, Tabby and Eliza also help to get content for our social media, if you check out our colour combo highlight on instagram you will probably spot one of them.   Robyn Rob plays a key role in supporting all aspects of the business and the team, from customer service to manufacturing and ordering processes. Before joining us, Rob spent 7 years at Dogs Trust, 4 years at Merseyside and 3 years at Loughborough as a Canine Carer and Rehabilitation Trainer. Rob also holds a degree in Animal Behaviour, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team.   Bev became part of The Muzzle Movement team in August 2024 as our Creative Marketing Designer. With extensive experience managing brands across digital and print platforms, Bev brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to her role. One of her key responsibilities is crafting our bi-weekly newsletters, keeping our community updated on everything happening within the team and the business. Bev is also the proud guardian of Blu, a lively Working Cocker Spaniel. Together, they work on muzzle training as Blu has a fear of vet visits. Muzzling helps keep both Blu and the vet safe, showing Bev’s commitment to responsible dog guardianship.    Christi from Paws on social is the go-to social media manager for pet professionals and has experience working alongside some of the largest brands in this space. Christi is responsible for helping us plan and deliver informative, educational content across all of our social media platforms.  Christi is passionate about helping pet businesses organise their thoughts into content, and we couldn't deliver the same quality of content across our socials without her!  Share Tweet Pin It Share Email
Naming our muzzles

Otra información importante

¿Qué significan nuestros nombres de tamaño de bozal?

por Clara Hewson en jun 10 2024
* proporcione la historia de cada perro aquí* explique por qué no nombramos cada tamaño por número o raza. ¿Incluyendo a Rex, Pippa, Harry y Taz?
How The Muzzle Movement muzzles are made?

Otra información importante

How The Muzzle Movement muzzles are made?

por Clara Hewson en sept 13 2023
How our Muzzles are made This is the first of a series of blog posts showing you the behind the scenes process, how we got to where we are and what steps we have learnt along the way!  This time we are going to walk you through our design to manufacture process from start to finish! Remember the muzzle movement is only just 2 years old, prior to this we had never ran a business before! Let alone launched an entirely new, ground breaking product!  We had to learn everything as we went, we don't have any angel investors, or silent partners. We are a tiny team, but we have got big dreams!! We start with measurements based on a 'type' of dog we would like to create a size for, this is usually based on customer feedback but sometimes because we feel this is a size that is likely to be popular. We begin creating a 3D model of this size, at this early stage we aren't worried too much about the 'aesthetics' we are really focused on making sure that this muzzle is going to be functional and fit the dogs that we wanted it to.  Sometimes this is easy, if we are releasing a size that is closely based on a pre-existing size but with some changes like additional pant room.  Other times, this is very challenging, because we are designing our muzzles from scratch, we aren't using another muzzle companies measurements or style, because we want to create something that is uniquely designed with the wearer in mind.  Stage 2. Print a Prototype Once we have an initial design we are happy with, we get this model 3D printed. Before we ever try this size on a dog, we look for obvious flaws in design like if the nose band will sit as intended, if there are any large gaps or holes that need to be made smaller, if there are any bars that are going to impact the dogs comfort and we go back to the drawing board and make any edits required!   We usually work our way through a couple of prototypes at this stage, without yet even trying them on the intended faces!  Stage 3. Rope in the Rescues Once we are happy with the basic shape and fit of the nose band, we will search through our contacts in rescue looking for dogs that fit within our anticipated range!  We then ask our friends to get us some video footage of the desired dogs doing some fun muzzle training. We try and make sure we get a variety of different dogs that we think are likely to fall within this new sizes recommended range. Some of these dogs are completely muzzle trained, others have never seen a muzzle before.  We would never ask anyone to put a muzzle on a dog, unless the dog was pre-conditioned to a muzzle and comfortable with the process. These prototype sessions are usually good fun for both the dog and the handler!  This stage can take weeks, as we are working with rescues, and due to having worked in rescue ourselves we know the time pressures that come with this type of environment!  We also ask our rescue friends for any feedback, such as was the treat hole in the right position and we usually ask for photos to better understand any feedback provided. Stage 4. Anyalysis We analyse the video footage, looking specifically at how the muzzle fits on the different dogs faces.   What we are look for at this stage is: - Do these dogs have enough room to pant? - Is the treat hole in the right postion? -does the muzzle fit well on the dogs cheeks? - Is the muzzle the right length? - is there anything that is obstructing the vision? - are there any areas where we think the holes are to big? - does the nose band sit correctly on the dogs face? - are there any other fit related concerns?  Usually there is lots of work that needs to be done! We will often go back to the 3D drawing and make lots of edits, before reprinting and starting the process over again, trying it on the same dogs a second time if we can, but hopefully by this stage they have gone home! So often it is a new lot of dogs!  These 4 stages can take months, usually we have a minimum of 5 different prototypes printed, before we release anything publicly!  Stage 5. Finalise before Launch Okay now we are confident we are on the final prototype, we do a few  things simultaneously!  1) We go back to our rescue friends and ask them to gather as much high quality video footage and photos as possible, and we start to explore family and friends who might have dogs that fit within this size range. The aim here is to begin gathering content to use to show you this size on social media.  2) we get the final measurements, including with the two different widths of nose band, and we upload these measurements to our pre-order store so people can pre order this size based on measurements alone (which should be all you need, as you cannot size based on breed!)    3) We do a size comparison on our instagram highlights, showing this size compared to our other pre-existing sizes, this is saved into our 'new size information' highlight. and finally 4) we add the final touches to the 3D model, such as branding, size name, bevel any edges, and make sure we are happy with how to muzzle looks aesthetically.  Stage 6. Raise the Funds The muzzle now begins the fund raising phase! Manufacturing an injection moulded muzzle is extremely expensive. The tooling for the injection mould costs around £18,000-£30,000 (per size!).  In order to raise these funds, we save money from the sales of our current sizes, but we also raise funds through pre orders. We set a target, which is usually the amount of muzzles we need to sell of this size, in order to be able to start manufacturing, to allow people to order their desired size, without being charged until the manufacturing process begins.   During this period of fund raising we are in discussions with our manufacturers to make sure that the predicted quotes don't change. As sometimes, it can take months from when we initially release a size for pre-order, to beginning manufacturing. And during this time there can sometimes be additional costs incurred such as the price of materials changing.  Stage 7. Target Reached We have hit our target and no have the funds we need, so we pay our manufacturers 50% upfront and start building the injection mould.  This is an extremely lengthy process and takes approximately 12-16 weeks, depending on the time of year and what other projects they have happening at the same time.  Throughout that 12-16 week period, we continue to gather footage of prototypes on dogs and promote across social media in order to raise the funds for the second payment which is due in order to begin making the moulds themselves.    Stage 8. Final Samples The injection mould tooling is finished! We now get what is called a final sample, which instead of a 3D print, is an injection moulded sample of our final product. this is the last opportunity we have to make any additional changes - and even then the changes that we can make at this stage are extremely limited and usually incur an additional fee. We use this sample to ensure that we have an accurate understanding of what the strapping and nose bands need to be and once we are happy we pay the second instalment and we proceed with making the moulds!    Stage 9. Action Sations! At this stage, it's all things go! We have lots to do, and very little time to do it!  Usually we have sold a huge number of muzzles in advance of the moulds arriving with us at our warehouse. Which means we have hundreds of different biothane parts to make!  So whilst we are busy making all the nose bands and straps, a stage that we can't do until we have had the final sample and are certain that all measurements are correct and final. This usually means that we have to rope in additional hands, like temporary workers, friends and family.  We also update all of the people that have pre-ordered this size, because ship date is now almost upon us! which means everyone needs to confirm their address hasn't changed and that they don't want to make any last min changes to their order.  Sneak Peek behind the scenes... At the same time, the manufacturers are injection moulding hundreds of muzzles!  Our muzzles are made from Polyethylene, which is a commonly used plastic that can be used for anything from food and drink containers to replacement knee joints! Each time the manufacturer switches the plastic colour, the machine has to be flushed clean. Which means that we have a minimum order we have to meet, we can't simply order 30 or 40 pastel pink, we have to make sure it's cost effective for both us and for them! This is usually costly, because although we have usually sold lots of muzzles at this point, we are normally ordering even more than we have sold.     Stage 10. Building & Shipping Now we have all of the biothane parts ready, the muzzles are delivered to our unit in the hundreds or thousands!  We now have the mammoth task of attaching all of the strapping, which is all done in house at our own unit. The reason we do this ourselves, is to give you the choice to pick everything from hardware colour, to biothane colour, to fastening type.  If we were to outsource this we would loose the ability to remain flexible and you wouldn't have the ability to design and choose your perfect colour scheme! Plus it's the best bit anyway! Making your muzzles by hand brings us so much joy! We have a number of different machines that help us save time, keep an eye our for a future blog where we can share the lessons we have learned along the way! 
Measuring for a collar

Otra información importante

Medida para un collar

por Clara Hewson en jun 15 2023
¡Hay un par de opciones para garantizar que su nuevo collar sea ideal para su perro! El 'ajuste perfecto' depende de las preferencias personales, algunos tutores (¡y perros!) prefieren un collar más holgado, mientras que los perros que caminan con una correa atada al collar necesitarían un ajuste más seguro del que no pudieran salirse. Independientemente del uso, ningún collar debe estar demasiado apretado y recomendamos poder colocar dos dedos entre el cuello del perro y el collar para garantizar que sea cómodo. Ofrecemos 2 anchos de collar, 1" (25 mm de ancho) son adecuados para razas medianas-gigantes, o algunas razas más pequeñas con cuellos largos (whippets, etc.) y 5/8" (16 mm de ancho) son adecuados para razas pequeñas-medianas, o algunas razas grandes que no caminan con collar pero tienen uno para fines de identificación. Para verificar la longitud del collar que necesita, puede medir el collar existente de su perro (desabrochado o desabrochado y acostado) si tienen uno que le quede bien, y pedirnos uno que sea del mismo tamaño. (Imagen del cuello de clip rápido que se mide) Si prefiere medir a su perro directamente, aquí tiene nuestros mejores consejos. Las medidas de nuestros collares son las longitudes reales del collar, desabrochado y plano, desde la hebilla hasta el orificio más pequeño y el orificio más grande, respectivamente. Por lo tanto, deberá agregar un par de centímetros a la medida del cuello "ajustado" para permitir un ajuste cómodo.